Accessories :WiFi Signal Enhancing iPhone 5 Case Review

Most Apple iPhone 5 cases protect your phone and/or extend the battery life, but have you ever seen one that claims that it could boost your Wi-Fi signal—by up to 50 percent? We've never tried out an iPhone case that could increase wireless speeds while protecting the phone at the same time! A company called Absolute Technology says they have made an Apple iPhone 5 case called Linkase that protects your phone and also has a slide-out antenna for improved WiFi.

The Linkase WiFi Signal Enhancing iPhone 5 case can be found on Amazon for $49.95 plus $11.98 shipping. That puts this case at $61.93 shipped, which makes it more expensive than most cases on the market. For ~$62 the Linkase better live up to its claims and not just be a marketing gimmick. Hopefully we will see faster downloads, better media streaming and an overall better experience with the iPhone 5! Laptop Keyboard Cover      

The LINKASE Signal Enhancer for iPhone 5 comes in a clear retail box that appears to be fully recyclable and was very easy to open. Inside the packaging we found the 'Coal Black' case, instructions and an extra EMW element that was 'Stone Gray' in color. The EMW elements can be lost, so two are included for that reason and to change up the color combination a bit. You can also buy them separately so you can replace the misplaced/broken EMW element with a new one down the road. If a black case isn't your thing you can also find this the Linkase in Antartic Blue, Frost White, Ash Grey and Chili Red! Laptop Keyboard Cover  

EMW (electro magnetic waveguide) is the latest signal-enhancing technology incorporated into the sliding mechanism of the LINKASE.  It will resonate with your mobile device’s antenna to provide seriously improved signal performancel.

Equipped with EMW, Linkase is a signal-enhancing protective cover, designed to improve the signal reception on your mobile devices.

The Linkase uses a polycarbonate back for protection with a shock-absorbent rubber raised bevel on the front to shield the screen. The rubber is also applied on the sides so the case can be installed and removed easier. The Linkase feels like it has a soft touch finish, but Absolute Technology says that the back has a "Multi-layered and non-slip leather coating to provide a quality finish and smooth touch." Laptop Keyboard Cover           

Here is a quick look at the inside of the case before we install the iPhone 5. Notice that the case has access ports or buttons for all the controls of the iPhone 5. Along the bottom of the case there are three cutouts for the speaker, microphone, 3.5mm headset jack and the Lightning port. On the side there is a cutout for the mute rocker switch and the power and volume buttons get covered with raised buttons.  Laptop Keyboard Cover          

With our Apple iPhone 5 installed into the Linkase we found that it fit perfectly and was very snug. You don't have to worry about the iPhone falling out of this case! The volume buttons still felt crisp and are easy to use with the Linkase on the iPhone 5, but the same does not hold true for the sleep/awake button. The sleep/awake button is hard to press and you have no real tactile feeling when it is pressed. The other thing we noticed is that the thin piece of case below the home button and the Lightning port feels delicate and like it will crack.

Flipping the Linkase over we can see how the EMW element slides out to boost the WiFi capabilities and the rather large cutout for the camera. This cutout is very wide, so you don't have to worry about blocking the phones LED flash or anything like that. The Linkase has a rubber lip (bevel) around the edge of case that protects the glass screen from tables when you sit it face down like we did in the image above.  Laptop Keyboard Cover